Italy awaits response from Iran on G8 invitation

Italy's foreign minister said Tuesday that he is still awaiting a response from Iran after inviting the country to participate in a G-8 meeting later this month.

“We have not yet received an official response from Iran,” Franco Frattini said, adding he was hopeful Iran would send its representative to the meeting of foreign ministers of the Group of Eight industrialized countries. It takes place June 25-27 in the northeastern city of Trieste.

Italy holds the rotating G8 presidency and wants Iran to be included in discussions on the stabilization of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“It's an important opportunity for Iran to contribute to the stabilization of Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Frattini told reporters at the Foreign Press Association in Rome.

He said Tehran's participation also would be an “important signal” that Iran's goverment is open to dialogue with the West.

Frattini welcomed as “encouraging” the news that Iran's Islamic leadership is prepared to conduct a limited recount of the presidential elections, in which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner.

(Source: Associated Press)

Photo: Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.

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